Evidence for maximality of strong interactions from LHC forward data

It is important to check if the Froissaron-Maximal Odderon (FMO) approach is the only model in agreement with the LHC data. We therefore generalized the FMO approach by relaxing the $\ln^2s$ constraints both in the even-and odd-under-crossing amplitude. We show that, in spite of a considerable freedom of a large class of amplitudes, the best fits bring us back to the maximality of strong interaction. Moreover, if we leave Odderon Regge pole intercept $\alpha_O(0)$ completely free we find a very good solution for $\alpha_O(0)$ near -1 in agreement with the result of oddballs spectroscopy in QCD based on AdS/CFT correspondence.Comment: Section 5 is extended, one reference is replaced, none of results is change

Calculation of the real part of the nuclear amplitude at high s and small t from the Coulomb amplitude

A new method for the determination of the real part of the elastic scattering amplitude is examined for high energy proton-proton at small momentum transfer. This method allows us to decrease the number of model assumptions, to obtain the real part in a narrow region of momentum transfer and to test different models. The possible non-exponential behavior of the real part was found on the base of the analysis of the ISR experimental data.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures, Talk on XIth International Conference on Elastic and Diffractive Scatterin

Analytic Amplitude Models for Forward Scattering

We report on fits of a large class of analytic amplitude models for forward scattering against the comprehensive data for all available reactions. To differentiate the goodness of the fits of many possible parametrizations to a large sample of data, we developed and used a set of quantitative indicators measuring statistical quality of the fits over and beyond the typical criterion of the $\Chi^2 /dof$. These indicators favor models with a universal $log^2 s$ Pomeron term, which enables one to extend the fit down to $\sqrt s = 4$ GeV.Comment: 13 pages, COMPETE Collaboration, talk presented at the 9th International Conference (Blois Workshop) on Elastic and Diffractive Scatterin

Interdisciplinary (retail) research: The business of geography and the geography of business

NoAt the 2005 British Academy of Management conference several well-known economic geographers, including Neil Wrigley, Gordon Clark, and Susan Christopherson, called for management researchers to engage with economic geographers on interrelated geographical and managerial issues in the study of (retail) firms. In this commentary we reflect upon the present geography -management interface.We begin by considering the term `interdisciplinary research' and its relationship to any management - geography interface. This is followed by a context-specific discussion of international retailing and the role of research on the retail transnational corporation (TNC) in developing an interdisciplinary agenda. This commentary represents an initial more business and management focused response to the call from geography academics for more/better interdisciplinary research at the geography - management interface

Analytic parametrizations of the non-perturbative Pomeron and QCD-inspired models

We consider several classes of analytic parametrizations of hadronic scattering amplitudes, and compare their predictions to all available forward data (proton- proton, antiproton-proton, pion-proton, kaon-proton, photon-proton, photon- photon, sigma-proton). Although these parametrizations are very close for energy larger than 9 GeV, it turns out that they differ markedly at low energy, where a universal Pomeron term ~(ln s)**2 enables one to extend the fit down to 4 GeV.Comment: 11 pages, 2 tables, Presented at the 9th Blois Workshop on Elastic and Diffractive Scattering, Pruhonice, Czech Republic, 9-15 June 200

New measures of the quality and of the reliability of fits applied to forward hadronic data at t=0

We develop five new statistical measures of the quality of fits, which we combine with the usual confidence level to determine the models which fit best all available data for total cross sections and for the real part of the forward hadronic amplitude.Comment: 7 pages, presented by J.R. Cudell on behalf of the COMPETE collaboration at the 6th workshop on non-perturbative QCD, American University of Paris, 5-9 June 200

Analytic Amplitudes for Hadronic Forward Scattering : COMPETE Update

We consider several classes of analytic parametrizations of hadronic scattering amplitudes, and compare their predictions to all available forward data in hadron-hadron, gamma-p and gamma-gamma reactions. Although these parametrizations are very close for SQRTs larger than 9 GeV, it turns out that they differ markedly at low energy, where a universal Pomeron term like ln**2 s enables one to extend the fit down to SQRTs equal to 4 GeV. We present predictions on the total cross sections and on the ratio of the real part to the imaginary part of the elastic amplitude (RHO parameter) for present and future pp and antipp colliders, and on total cross sections for gamma-p into hadrons at cosmic-ray energies and for gamma-gamma into hadrons up to SQRTs equal to 1 TeV.Comment: 3 pages, 3 tables. To be published in the Proceedings of the 31st International Conference on High Energy Physics (ICHEP 2002), Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 24-31 July 200

Forward observables at RHIC, the Tevatron run II and the LHC

We present predictions on the total cross sections and on the ratio of the real part to the imaginary part of the elastic amplitude (rho parameter) for present and future pp and pbar p colliders, and on total cross sections for gamma p -> hadrons at cosmic-ray energies and for gamma gamma -> hadrons up to sqrt(s)=1 TeV. These predictions are based on a study of many possible analytic parametrisations and invoke the current hadronic dataset at t=0. The uncertainties on total cross sections, including the systematic theoretical errors, reach 1% at RHIC, 3% at the Tevatron, and 10% at the LHC, whereas those on the rho parameter are respectively 10%, 17%, and 26%.Comment: 11 pages, 2 figures, LaTeX, presented at the Second International "Cetraro" Workshop & NATO Advanced Research Workshop "Diffraction 2002", Alushta, Crimea, Ukraine, August 31 - September 6, 200

Direct Calculations of the Odderon Intercept in the Perturbative QCD

The odderon intercept is calculated directly, from its expression via an average energy of the odderon Hamiltonian, using both trial wave functions in the variational approach and the wave function recently constructed by R.A.Janik and J.Wosiek. The results confirm their reported value for the energy. The odderon intercept is calculated directly, from its expression via an average energy of the odderon Hamiltonian, using both trial wave functions in the variational approach and the wave function recently constructed by R.A.Janik and J.Wosiek.The results confirm their reported value for the energy. Variational calculations give energies some 30% higher. However they also predict the odderon intercept to be quite close to unity. In fact, for realistic values of $\alpha_s$, the intercept calculated variationally is at most 2% lower than the exact one: 0.94 instead of 0.96. It is also found that the solution for $q_3=0$ does not belong to the odderon spectrum. The diffusion parameter is found to be of the order 0.6.Comment: 20 page

Quark coalescence in the mid rapidity region at RHIC

We utilize the ALCOR model for mid-rapidity hadron number predictions at AGS, SPS and RHIC energies. We present simple fits for the energy dependence of stopping and quark production.Comment: Talk given at SQM2001, Frankfurt, (LaTeX 8 pages, 5 .ps figs